An attempt on the part of the Communists to hold a mass meet in the Chinese city on March 6, was frustrated by the Bureau lof Public Safety with the assistance lof" the French police. Nantao was Jdenuded of demonstrations or disturbances and the day passed quictly without any untoward happening, though tension was high early la che "morning over the reported gathering.
With the gates leading to the Chinese city closed and the presence lof large forees of Chinese and French police along the boundary, a state of martial law existed in Nantag though no proclamation to that effect had been made by he Chinese authorities. All the iron rates were closed and barbed wire barricades were much in evidence. d/Exeept for a small number of refugees who left the city for the French town, traffic between the two territories was almost of a The report of an intended mass meeting received by the Bureau of Public Safety was to the effect that Communists, under the guise of "national salvation associations in Jaid of the 19th Route Army," would gather in the Public Recreation;|Ground in West Gate early in the morning to form a. demonstration. In order to avoid such a gathering in View of the present unsettled conditions in the Chinese city, large force of police constables, armed with rifles, surrounded the area shortly after 7 At about 9 am, groups of students, and labourers, including women," were noticed' loitering around' the vicinity. Owing to the Presence of the armed police, no attempt was made by these. groups enter the Recreation Ground.
Towards noon, four students arrived'on the scene and demanded entrance. Owing to. their persist-ince, police arrested the group and After 'a, brief examination in tion, the quartette were afternoon, when additional police constables, at important crossings were withdrawn. Martial law was Jdcelared at 6 p.m.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.